The following information is provided to assist the reader in understanding certain technology disclosed below and the environment in which it will typically be used. The terms used herein are not intended to be limited to any particular narrow interpretation unless clearly stated otherwise in this document. References set forth herein may facilitate understanding of the technologies or the background thereof. The disclosures of all references cited herein are incorporated by reference.
In many industrial and other processes, various liquids can become entrained in air and present a breathing hazard. For example, in processes in which components such as metallic parts are machined, ground etc., a coolant fluid is typically used. During such processes, droplets of coolant become atomized and may create a hazard. The hazard arises because an operator of the individual machine or any human being in the same enclosed building may be forced to breathe potentially very harmful materials.
In a number of currently available machining systems, centrifugal air pumps or blowers are used to move air with suspended liquid coolant therein. In such systems, one or more filters are placed in fluid connection with the outlet of the blower to remove liquid coolant from the air before pumping the air into the general building air. Filtration becomes much less efficient when large amounts of liquid are pumped into the filters. Moreover, the liquid-air mixture exiting the blower impacts the filters at high speed, resulting in re volatizing of the liquid (particularly, as the filters become saturated). The volatized liquid is pumped into the room in which the machine tool/system is operated, thereby creating a hazard for people in the surrounding area. As a result, current systems cannot meet proposed National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH proposed) air quality standards of 0.5 mg per cubic meter of factory air. See, What you Need to Know About Occupational Exposure to Metalworking Fluids, National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, NIOSHP Publication 98-116 (March 1998).